Storm water pollution full capturing system

ABSTRACT

A storm drain full capturing system is provided for filtering trash and debris and similar contaminates from a stream of water passing through a storm drain. The capturing system comprises of a control gate panels having a multiplicity of openings mounted adjacent to the sidewalls of a storm drain such that the panels lies adjacent to an outlet through which water flow passing to the storm drain thereof, but filters trash and debris, a composite filter fits relatively close to the outlet and the adjacent sidewall and permits water to flow through the openings thereof, but filters polluted contaminates, and an insert composite collection system for trash and debris is held in place by a removable frame plate, configured to be suspended adjacent to a curb inlet and can be serviced through a conventional manhole entry.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the prevention of substantial amounts ofcontaminant from entering a storm drain system during a dry or rainyseasons and purification of water which may be storm runoff. Industrialprocess water or cleaning water pours into drains such as found inparking areas, gas stations, along streets in municipalities andsimilarly heavily traveled locations. This invention relates to a systemthat removes debris, trash, hydrocarbon and similar contaminates as wellas other contaminates from storm water prior to releasing the water intothe municipal disposal system of the environment.

Great concern has been generated among the public for ensuring thepurity of the domestic water supply in view of the revelation that smalltraces of contaminants pose a serious threat to public health andparticularly children. As a result of this concern, the Clean Water Act(1972) and the Water Quality Act (1987) resulted in establishing theNPDES Program (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System). TheNPDES Program requires permitting in cases of storm water dischargesassociated with industrial, commercial, municipal, and/or residentialactivity which may be contaminating run-off water by over-burden, rawmaterial, intermediate product, finished product, by-product or wasteproduct. In addition, many cities, counties, and districts have enactedsimilar laws. The site of such activities can include large parkingfacilities where large amounts of run-off are generated containingsignificant amounts of gas and similar anthropogenic organics as well asheavy metals. Provisions of the program include establishing amonitoring program and instituting Best Management Practice (BMP) toachieve practicable pollutant reduction. These activities demonstratethe need for a system that removes debris, trash, metals, hydrocarbonsand other contaminants from storm water, prior to release into amunicipal disposal system, or environment.

Numerous techniques have been described for removing contaminants,particularly metals and hydrocarbons including oils, from storm water.None of such techniques, to my knowledge adequately meet the abovedescribed needs through provision of the unusually advantageousstructures, modes of operation, and results as described herein.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a major objective of the invention to provide a prevention systemdisallowing trash from entering the storm drain by means of control gateapparatus attached to the sides of the catch basin of a storm drain andoperated by an inserts placed inside the storm drain catch basin.

It is a major objective of the invention to provide one or more floatingdevices in order to prevent contaminants from re-entering into thedownstream drainage system

Another object is to minimize construction retrofit to existing stormdrains by adapting the shape and design of the apparatus to fit existingstorm drain catch basins.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a weir allowingexcess flow to pass before entering the connector pipe outlet to thestorm drain.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide removable andreplaceable inserts to remove contaminates, particularly debris, trash,metals, oils, fuels and other hydrocarbons and pesticides andorganically bound inorganics from water being discharged from thesurrounding into a public water disposal system such as a sanitary seweror storm drain. Such inserts typically receive and contain trash anddebris from runoff.

Another objective is provision of such bags to be removable andreplaceable easily, through the man hole of the catch basin.

It is another object that the insert filters be constructed for removingcontaminants having a wide range of filtering media properties forvarious contaminates.

It is another object that the drainage filters be constructed such thatreplacement of spent filters is easily accomplished with maximumprotection to the operator in terms of cleanliness and personal safety.

An important object is to facilitate installation and maintenance ofsystem components resulting in saving in labor and improved efficiency.

It is another object that the spent filter media may be disposableconveniently and economically.

It is another object that the filters in the drain be constructed toprevent malfunctions such as clogging or re-floating that mightotherwise arise from circumstances such as unexpected flooding.

A yet further object is to provide an improved system as discussedherein, or as claimed herein.

These and other objects will become apparent from a study of thedescription and study of the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the basic control panel;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the basic control panel, filters and thesuspended trash bags;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the basic control panel with the optionalfloating gate;

FIG. 4 is an end elevation of the basic control panel;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a curb opening catch basin incorporating the invention atthat location. The apparatus includes control perforated panels 4, 5 and6 vertically spaced between the side walls. And an inclined solid plate1, a vertical perforated panel 2 with guide filter 3 and 7.

FIG. 2 shows the control panel system with filter contaminates 8 and 9and the inserts suspended trash bags 15 and the outlet connector pipe.

FIG. 3 shows street level 11, catch basin curb inlet 10, connector pipe13 and the optional floating gate 14.

FIG. 4 shows front elevation view of the invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 4, A control panels 4, 5 and 6 extendedfrom side wall to side wall of the catch basin 12 and having a solidinclined plate 1 to allow flow laden with trash, sediments and othercontaminates entering from the street 11 and entering the basin throughthe curb inlet 10 to be captured by the suspended trash and sedimentsbags inserts 15 and then through the filters 8 and 9 for contaminatesremoval and then to the storm drain system through the connector pipe13. When the flow rises over the top of panels 4, 5, 6 and by pass tothe connector pipe 13 over the second weir of panel 6 and if the flowkept rising to the level of the second weir, trash may enter to theconnector pipe 13 to avoid having trash entering to the connector pipe,a floating gate 14 can be placed over the second weir opening which willopen and close according to the water flow level in the catch basin.Hence keeping the trash floating over water and over the floating gate14 where it will be collected later when the flow recedes.

Drainage water laden with trash, sediment and other deposits enters, asshown from street level 11 into the curb opening 10 to the catch basinhousing 12, and passes through a vertically extending filter 8 and 9laden with media for absorbing hydrocarbons and oil passing within thewater through screen panels 2, 4, 5 and 6 while collecting sediment andtrash at the insert bags 15. If the filters get sufficiently stopped up,there is an overflow area weir opening on screen 6 to allow overflow tothe outlet connector pipe 13 without blocking the drainage system.

As referred to herein, and as shown in the drawings, one preferredsystem includes:

A system for preventing, filtering and removing pollutants from stormwater passing into a curb opening of a catch basin, said systemcomprising one or more control gate, said control gates have weirs tobypass excess flow, there being an insert suspended trash and debrisbags in the catch basin and operatively connected to the control gatesto capture trash and debris in response to storm water flow into thecatch basin, there being an insert including water permeable pollutantfilters, the bags filter material, whereby water flows through the meshand then through the bag or bags, trash and debris being trapped by themesh or the bag or bags.

As noted, the use of elements as referred to provides for multipleadvantages including control gate to contain trash in-flow; clean(filtered) water contaminate collection to effect such operation; andremoval of contaminants from the water to be collected by the multiplefilters. Also, the filter bags are easily retrievable, withoutdisturbing the functionality of the system.

1. A flow and debris control system at a storm drain catch basincomprising a flow control gate, having a perforated panels, in whichtravel of debris into the basin connector pipe outlet to the storm drainis blocked, and a water flow collector and filter in the path of waterflows into the connector pipe via said perforated panels entrance, thecollector including an insert having a mesh, a replaceable filter bag,in the insert and two or more filters.
 2. The system of claim 1 whereinsaid control gate includes an insert float canister providing meansmovable to avoid polluted trash from mixing with water flow dischargingto the connector pipe outlet when the catch basin malfunctions or hashigh capacity run off.
 3. A system for preventing, filtering andremoving pollutant from storm water passing into a curb opening catchbasin, said system comprising one or more control gates, the filteringdevice forms a perforated wall structure that extends between thesidewalls and which isolates the connector pipe outlet. there being aninsert suspended in the catch basin and operatively connected to thecontrol gate, said control gate has a floatable canister for preventingpollutant from mixing with said flow when the catch basin malfunctionsor has high capacity run off, there being a bag or bags carried by saidinsert frame, the insert defining a mesh, the bag or bags includingwater permeable filter material, whereby water flows through the bag orbags.
 4. The system of claim 3 including a floatable canister at controlgate whereby said canister will float when water rise causing the waterto pass over the weir free of pollutants and closing the weir openingwhen water recedes.
 5. The system in claim 3 whereas the frame is sizedand positioned to carry the weight of trash and debris and flow in saidinsert bag or bags when storm water is received therein.
 6. The systemof claim 3 wherein each bag has a mesh size selected to permit flow ofwater through the mesh and out through a filter medium beforedischarging to the connector pipe outlet to the storm drain.
 7. Thesystem of claim 3 wherein each bag is replaceable and removable andpositioned to collect trash and debris and with the filter medium in theouter side of said control gate collecting water contaminates.
 8. Asystem comprising one or more floating devices providing a means tofloat collected trash or debris in order to prevent contaminants fromre-entering into the downstream drainage system and to prevent cloggingof said system in case of overflow or backflow.